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Amid the flight to refuge, Ukraine and Russia are set to resume peace talks online Friday after limited progress in Istanbul earlier in the week. On the battlefield, the Kremlin appeared to be pulling forces out of the Chernobyl nuclear plant and moving some units away from the Kyiv area. But Western officials remain skeptical of Russia’s pledge to scale down military operations in northern Ukraine. “We can only judge Russia on its actions,” said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Russian troop movement reflected the success of his country’s military. “They are moving away from areas where we are beating them to focus on others that are very important,” he said in a video address. But conditions in the country’s south and in the eastern region of Donbas — the control of which seems to be a Russian priority — remain “extremely difficult,” he said.
Here’s what to know
President of European Parliament to visit Kyiv
Return to menuOne of the top leaders of the European Union will visit Kyiv in the coming days, a show of solidarity from the neighboring bloc at a crucial time, with Russian forces continuing their shelling of the Ukrainian capital.
President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola announced the trip on Twitter on Thursday evening, writing only: “On my way to Kyiv.” Metsola did not say when she would arrive or provide any other details, and spokespeople for her and the parliament did not immediately respond to questions about her plans or itinerary.
Few foreign dignitaries have visited Kyiv since the invasion began — the city is located in the middle of the war-torn country and remains a key target for the Kremlin. Metsola’s trip would be the most significant appearance of a world leader there since three European premiers visited in mid-March. During that dramatic visit, which took place as Kyiv went under curfew following Russian attacks, the prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic pledged the European Union’s “unequivocal support.”
Metsola, who is Maltese, was elected to her post in January, and she has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine since Russia launched its assault. She has called on European countries to welcome refugees and has portrayed the war as a battle to preserve democracy across the continent — something Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been arguing for weeks.
“It means everything that we have been defending and promoting around the world about our way of life and our European values is now at stake,” Metsola said of the invasion last week, adding: “This is our moment.”
The European Parliament is the 27-member bloc’s only directly elected branch, and it governs the E.U. along with the European Commission and the European Council.
After the prime ministers’ visit, Zelensky thanked them and encouraged other leaders to follow suit. “With such neighbors and partners,” he said, “we will really be able to win.”
What is the strategic oil reserve, and can it lower gas prices?
Return to menuOn Thursday, President Biden announced a huge release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The goal is to temper gas prices, which are at a 14-year high, driven in part by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the U.S. ban on Russian oil as a response.
But some analysts say the real benefit of these oil reserves isn’t only monetary — it’s also psychological. Americans can feel like their government is doing something to drive down energy costs during a war, and Biden gets to appear as if he’s taking concrete action to help Americans afford gas.
Here’s what the oil reserves are, how they can change gas prices and the political debate over them.
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